Hyperthyroidism Symptoms Causes, and Treatment
What is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism means your thyroid gland is working overtime and making too much hormone. So, when your thyroid works too hard, it wastes your body’s energy. This can make you feel unwell in many ways. However, the good news is that doctors can diagnose and treat it with medication, a special iodine treatment, or sometimes surgery. Getting help early usually means people can get back to feeling normal and avoid bigger problems down the road.
What are the Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism?
If you are thinking you might have high thyroid levels, check for these hyperthyroidism symptoms:
- You might notice you are dropping weight even though you are eating more.
- Feeling super on edge, anxious, or even angry could be a sign.
- You might feel a rapid heart rate.
- Hand tremor or feeling weaker than usual is a common cause of hyperthyroidism.
- Sweating even in a comfortable temperature.
- Some patients face trouble sleeping.
- You may feel the need to use the bathroom more often. You may even get diarrhea.
- Women might see changes in their periods.
- You might even notice a swelling in your neck. That is called a goiter.
- In some cases, your eyes might start to bulge out a little.
- You may experience hair loss as well.
- Some people feel too warm or a bit damp in their skin.
Hyperthyroidism Causes
Hyperthyroidism can be triggered by different underlying reasons that encourage high thyroid levels. Here are some common causes:
- Graves’ disease: This is the most common reason. It happens when your immune system gets confused and starts attacking the thyroid gland. This makes the thyroid overwork and produce too many hormones. It often runs in families.
- Lumps or thyroid nodules: Sometimes, little non-cancerous bumps grow on your thyroid and start making extra hormones all on their own.
- Inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis): Your thyroid gland can get inflamed or swollen. This can happen for different reasons. It can cause the thyroid to release a large amount of stored hormones all at once for a short period.
- Too much iodine: If you get too much iodine from food, pills, or certain medicines, it can make your thyroid go into overdrive.
- Pituitary adenoma: A certain growth on the pituitary gland (a part of your brain) can tell your thyroid to make too much hormone. It is very rare.
- Growth in other places: In rare cases, growths in your ovaries or testes can interfere with your hormone levels.
- Certain medicines: Some medicines can have side effects that make your thyroid overactive. These are primarily the ones for heart problems.
Hyperthyroidism vs. Hypothyroidism
There are two main ways your thyroid gland can become problematic. One way is hyperthyroidism, which occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much hormone. The other way is hypothyroidism, where your thyroid is taking it easy and not making enough hormones.
Sometimes, the reasons for both conditions can be similar. For example, if your thyroid becomes inflamed or if there is an issue with the amount of iodine in your body. But, hypothyroidism can also happen if you have had surgery or radiation on your thyroid, or if you were born with a thyroid that does not work quite right.
Doctors use a blood test to diagnose hypothyroidism. They treat low thyroid hormone with replacement medicine.
How is Hyperthyroidism Diagnosed?
To figure out if someone has hyperthyroidism, doctors use a few different methods. Here is what they might do:
- Physical Exam: Doctors look for physical signs like shaking hands and warm skin. They also check for an enlarged thyroid or a rapid heartbeat.
- Blood Tests: Doctors will test your blood to see if your thyroid hormones are too high. This also measures the levels of another hormone called Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH).
- Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test: This test sees how much iodine your thyroid absorbs. This, in turn, can show if it is working too hard.
- Thyroid Ultrasound: Doctors do this to look for bumps or swelling in your thyroid.
- Thyroid Antibody Tests: These blood tests can help find if the problem is from autoimmune causes, such as Graves’ disease.
- Other Imaging Tests: Sometimes, doctors use special techniques such as CT or MRI scans. This is done to get a better look at your thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism Treatment
There are a few ways to treat an overactive thyroid. The best way depends on why it is happening and how bad it is. Then use the right hyperthyroidism treatment accordingly.
- Antithyroid Medications: Some medicines can stop your thyroid from making too much hormone. These include drugs like methimazole (Tapazole) and propylthiouracil (PTU). They usually start working in a few weeks or months.
- Radioactive Iodine (RAI) Therapy: Radioactive iodine is a pill that targets and destroys overactive thyroid cells. This treatment often leads your thyroid to become underactive later. This results in Hypothyroidism. Then you will need to take a hormone pill for the rest of your life.
- Surgery (Thyroidectomy): Sometimes, doctors remove all or part of your thyroid. This might be the best choice for pregnant people or those who can not use other treatments. After surgery, you usually need to take a thyroid hormone pill daily.
- Beta Blockers: These medicines do not change your thyroid function, but they can help with other things. For example, a fast heartbeat or shaking until other treatments kick in.
Hyperthyroidism and Pregnancy
Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy can cause issues. These issues include miscarriage and early birth. The babies born might have low birth weight. Preeclampsia is also a risk. If it is not treated in the long term, it can also lead to a dangerous condition called thyroid storm and heart failure.
So, pregnant women with hyperthyroidism need to be watched very closely by a doctor. Usually, they will get medicines to help control their thyroid and avoid these risks. Sometimes, surgery is necessary, especially in the middle of pregnancy. This might happen in the second trimester.
Summary
Hyperthyroidism can be treated, and sometimes it even gets better on its own. Still, regular health care check-ups are important. See a doctor if you have issues that could make it easy for you to develop hyperthyroidism symptoms. Keeping an eye on overall health conditions helps make sure your treatment is working well.
FAQs
Hyperthyroidism affects about 1 in 100 Americans aged 12 and older. It is around 10 times more common in women, usually between the ages of 20 and 40.
Hyperthyroidism usually causes weight loss, not weight gain, due to a faster metabolism. However, treatment may lead to weight gain.
High iodine, smoking, stress, and after-birth changes can start hyperthyroidism. This is especially true for people who are genetically more likely to get it.
It is a good idea not to eat too much food with lots of iodine, like seaweed, fish, and salt with added iodine. Also, avoid soy and too many veggies like broccoli and cabbage. Try to have less caffeine and processed snacks.
If you are trying to reduce your iodine intake to help manage an overactive thyroid, it is a good idea to skip milk. That is because milk and other dairy products contain iodine.
Yes, thyroid disorders can affect memory.
Yep, thyroid problems can make it harder to get pregnant. Also, if not treated, they can raise the chances of losing the baby early, early birth, or high blood pressure during pregnancy.